Aeroplane.



G. RASMUSSEN.

atented Aug. 6, 1912.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

2 SHEETS-SHEET a.

Pate nted Aug. 6, 1912 InventZr ABROPLANE.

APPLICATION FILED PEB.1,1911.

G. RASMUSSEN.

'zgit nessea GERHARDT RASMUSSEN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

AEROPLANE.

1,035,103. Specification of Letters Pat nt. Patented Aug. 6, 1912..

Application filed February 1, 1911. Serial No. 606,063.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, GERHARDT RASMUS- SEN, a citizen of'the United States, and a resident of New York city, borough of. Queens, county of Queens, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Aeroplanes, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification, suchas will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the'same.

My invention relates to certain improvements in aeroplanes and more particularly to improvements in the type of aeroplane known as the bi-plane. As will'be understood, in this type of machine the sustain ing power is derived solely from the reaction of two superposed planes with the air, these planes being placed transversely of the direction" of motion of the aeroplane. These planes, while giving the necessary stability with regard tothe horizontal axis of the line of motion, afford very little, if any, with regard to the axis transverse of the line of motion. A further disadvantage of these machines as now built is that the rivers and passengers seats are placed on the surface of the lower plane, thus keeping the center of gravity of the aeroplane very high with regard to the sustaining force.

This condition also increases the instability rendering aviation a dangerous sport and accordingly retarding its progress as a science.

The construction above noted necessitates the positioning of the engine in the rear of. the driver, making 'its working parts inac- "cessible to him and his machine during in 'driving power." I

flight. Failure of parts of the engine to perform their respective functions properly,

has been, up to the present time, one of the most prolific sources of accidents. Were it possible for these parts to be reached and adjusted by the aviatoror hismechanlc 1n flight, many serious accidents could be averted. P

The principal object of my invention is to so improve the bi-plane as to remove the above mentioned objections, and as a furtherobject I desire to increase the lifting capacity of such machines without adding such surface s as might tendto offer such rev sistance as "wo1ild"'re' hire a great increase 11 acc'om lishing this creased lifting power above spoken of. By

placing the passengers and, if desired, the

driver in this structure, the center of gravity of the aeroplane is materially lowered and an effect analogous to that of a ships keel 18 produced, giving great stability to the machine when in flight. In addition, the placing of the driver under the lower plane, enables me to support my motor on this plane infront of and above him, thusmakmg the parts accessible and adjustable at all times. This is possible both because of the steadying effect due to the low center of gravity and the improved utilization of the space.

' 'All of these improvements above noted are accomplished, in some instances, directly and some indirectly by the placing of preferably essentially torpedo-shaped planes transverse of both the upper and lower main supporting planes. By essentially torpedoshaped, I do not mean to limit myself to precisely the form of such a figure, as portions of either end thereof may be omitted,

making the same truncated. These first,-

mentioned planes I prefer to make in crosssection curved and concave downward although it is within the. scope ofumy invention to vary their shape, number and position as I desire. By the construction I new ally use, as shown in the accompanying drawings, the main planes andthe entire aeroplane is braced, and the surfaces are of such a shape as to ofierlittle resistance upon the rising of the machine, to act as parachutes upon unduly rapid descent, and to.

provide an additional sustaining and steady- 1 tips 2 and 3, such as are in common use in These rectangular machines of this type.

planes present their longest side at angles to the line of motion. It is this style 4 ,of plane that I term in the claims, a biplane. My upper auxiliary'planes 4 I result I am enabledto provi e an underslung passenger carriage,.owing to the inplace transversely of the upper plane and preferably, although not necessarty substantially, in the same geometric plane therewith. These auxiliary planes extend to the front and rear of the main plane to any desired extent and these surfaces serve to give balance to the machine with regard to the horizontal axis at right angles to the line of motion. This balancing effect may well be likened to that afforded a tight-rope walker by his pole.

although I make them essentiallytorpedoshaped, is presented to the air as the aeroplane is driven forward. My auxiliary planes extend across and transverse to the main plane and by transverse I mean that their longer axes are at right-angles to the longer axis of the planes in the bi-plane above defined. The auxiliary planesl pre-' fer to make in cross-section concave downward and curved. By-this means a minimum resistance is offered by them while rising, and a parachute effect is secured if the machine drops too swiftly. My lower planes 5, if I provide any, are analogous in shape and relative position as the upper ones. lhese planes are supported by any desired means although they may be integral with the sustaining planes. I

I force the machine forwardly by propellers 6, of which I prefer tonse three; and these propellers are driven by a suitable motor, 7. This motor I place upon a superstructure in such a position relative to the driver that he may at all times easily reach to adjust or repair any of its parts. I am enabled to shift this weight by reason of the keel effect of the passengers above spoken of and also because of the addi-- tional steadying effect furnished by the auxiliary planes projecting forwardly and rearwardly.. To produce the keel efi'ect, I place a structure under all of the planes, the added weight ofthis structure being taken care of by my auxiliary planes.

The under-slung carriage which I prefer to use to carry passengers in, is of any suitable construction and since its primary function'is to carry seats 9 for passengersit may be made in sections consisting of rods or The shorterside of these planes, which may be rectangular,

any suitable framework, with a seat mounted on each section.

All details of design such as the shape, number and position of the auxiliary planes; the placing of the motor with respect to the driver, provided it is accessible to him while the machine is in flight, and the passengers carriage with its arrangement of seats, may be varied without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Let- Y plane's and a plurality of auxiliary planes substantially transverse thereto and integral therewith said auxiliary planes projecting beyond the edges of said main planes in substantially the same geometric plane.

4. A bi-plane having main sustaining planes and two pairs of planes, said planes being in cross-section concave downward and curved, one pair being substantially in the same geometric plane with the'upper main plane and one pair being substantially in the same geometrlc plane with the lower main plane, each pair being substantially transverse of. the saidmain planes,-said auxiliary planes being positioned-in pairs on each side of the central horizontal axis of the aeroplane along the line of motion.

In testimony whereof have signed my name to this specification 1n the presence of two subscribmg witnesses.

GERHARDT. nasiirussnu.

' Witnesses W. C. CAMPBELL, H. E. RAABE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for'fl'ire cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G." 

